Michael Moore's Latest Target: Your HMO

Plenty, where should we start?

Let me answer with a question, what's good about our health care system?

We have one of the worse and most larcenous health care systems in the industrialized world, all reflected by its incredibly shameful stats. I'm currently looking at a forty thousand buck operation that takes a couple of hours and a week or so in the hospital. Luckily, I have insurance that will reduce the robbery to only an outrage. Many people don't.

I've never liked a Michael Moore, but he's right a lot, espicially in this case. Wait till he does one on the Justice system.

Well said, I mostly agree.
The "assistance" programs in this country are ridiculous. It is a paramount component to our immigration problems as well. They desperately are in need of major change. We have created generations of people who no longer have thoughts of jobs, working for a living, etc. Care to hazard a guess at the BILLIONS that are being pissed away???
I'm sure no real number can be derived with any accuracy. It would be a................staggering sum


I'm glad I'm not the only one that sees it this way.
Thanks for expressing your opinions. I had two PM's from people that were afraid to get into this discussion.

I think that when most people look at their failings in life, there's usually only one person they can honestly point the finger at: themselves.

couldn't have said it better myself!

We have one of the worse and most larcenous health care systems in the industrialized world, all reflected by its incredibly shameful stats. I'm currently looking at a forty thousand buck operation that takes a couple of hours and a week or so in the hospital. Luckily, I have insurance that will reduce the robbery to only an outrage. Many people don't.

I've never liked a Michael Moore, but he's right a lot, espicially in this case. Wait till he does one on the Justice system.

Just so I'm clear - you think it is larcenous for the doctor and the hospital to charge you 40K? If so, do you think they would charge less in a government controlled health care system? Do you advocate price controls in all areas or just health care? Who will decide the appropriate charges? How will they insure that competent people will want to enter an industry requiring long hours, extensive (years) training, incredibly high liability risk and still manage to make a good living?

Just so I'm clear - you think it is larcenous for the doctor and the hospital to charge you 40K? If so, do you think they would charge less in a government controlled health care system? Do you advocate price controls in all areas or just health care? Who will decide the appropriate charges? How will they insure that competent people will want to enter an industry requiring long hours, extensive (years) training, incredibly high liability risk and still manage to make a good living?
right now my insurance company dictates to the doctors how much they will pay for certain procedures. they also dictate what procedures are necessary, and those that aren't. this is definitely NOT good thing.

Just so I'm clear - you think it is larcenous for the doctor and the hospital to charge you 40K? If so, do you think they would charge less in a government controlled health care system? Do you advocate price controls in all areas or just health care? Who will decide the appropriate charges? How will they insure that competent people will want to enter an industry requiring long hours, extensive (years) training, incredibly high liability risk and still manage to make a good living?

Joe, you bring up another component to the problem. The "allowable", ridiculous, out of control, lawsuits that can be filed. The medical community is strapped with the burden of defending, and paying gigantic awards. Seriously driving up the cost of healthcare

Joe, you bring up another component to the problem. The "allowable", ridiculous, out of control, lawsuits that can be filed. The medical community is strapped with the burden of defending, and paying gigantic awards. Seriously driving up the cost of healthcare
i disagree with this. with the kind of outrageous money the people in the medical field make, if they screw me up, i want paid. no, it wont make me better. but it might make them think twice about operating on my left leg, when the problems in my right leg.

i disagree with this. with the kind of outrageous money the people in the medical field make, if they screw me up, i want paid. no, it wont make me better. but it might make them think twice about operating on my left leg, when the problems in my right leg.

There's the misconception. For the most part DRs don't make that much more relative to the barriers to entry than do most average college graduates. Unless they specialize, lots of training, then they are getting paid pretty well but not the King's ransom that lots of people want to believe. Once you factor in liability insurance most doctors aren't making anything near outrageous money.

those guys are all at least making six figures. i know it takes a tremendous amount of schooling, but they are getting paid for what they know. its their responsibility to get it right

There's the misconception. For the most part DRs don't make that much more relative to the barriers to entry than do most average college graduates. Unless they specialize, lots of training, then they are getting paid pretty well but not the King's ransom that lots of people want to believe. Once you factor in liability insurance most doctors aren't making anything near outrageous money.

Lawsuits against OBGYNs have gotten a lot of press and they tend to make massive amounts of duckets.